Trump Takes a Swing at Karoline Leavitt: 'Bad Publicity!'

During a press event on Tuesday, President Donald Trump directed pointed remarks at White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, suggesting her role is pivotal in the media's unfavorable portrayal of him.

After signing an executive order aimed at establishing a national voter registry, Trump launched into a tirade against what he termed the “fake press,” specifically calling out “dishonest” media outlets that he believes fail to adequately showcase his achievements.

“I’m getting 93% bad publicity — some say it’s even 97, but let’s settle on between 93 and 97,” Trump stated, echoing similar unfounded claims from the previous year when he argued that excessive negative coverage constituted “really illegal” behavior.

In a moment that blended awkwardness with humor, he turned to Leavitt, who was present, and quipped, “Maybe Karoline’s doing a poor job? I don’t know. She’s my repre — you’re doing a terrible job. Should we keep her? I think we’ll keep her.”

Trump, who has long cast doubt on the integrity of the press throughout his political career, lamented that the erosion of trust in media is a “very bad” and “sad” situation for America.

These remarks come as Trump's approval ratings continue to plummet, reportedly hitting as low as 33% amid ongoing issues related to the Iran conflict and a partial government shutdown that has left many federal employees without pay for weeks.

Social media critics quickly weighed in, providing their candid takes on the peculiar exchange.